Air conditioner with disposable air filter

ABSTRACT

A roll of disposable filter sheeting is located at the upper end of the air discharge side of the air conditioner chassis. Two rolls of adhesive sheets are located at the lower end of the discharge side. The filter is drawn down to cover the discharge opening and out through a slot at the bottom of the chassis. The adhesive sheets from the two rolls come into contact with opposite sides of the filter as it comes out of the chassis and cover the used filter portion, when said used portion is drawn down to cover the discharge opening with a fresh, clean portion of filter. The withdrawn piece of filter being covered on both sides may be withdrawn and severed and disposed of without dirtying the hands of the operator.

United States Patent 1 Martinez l Jan. 16, 1973 I541 AIR CONDITIONERWITII DISPOSABLE AIR FILTER Primary Examiner-William J. Wye [76]lnventor: Miguel Martinez, 840 Zumbador Attorney-J Felshm St., RioPiedras, P.R.

[57] ABSTRACT A roll of disposable filter sheeting is located at theupper end of the air discharge side of the air conditioner chassis. Tworolls of adhesive sheets are located at the lower end of the dischargeside. The filter is drawn down to cover the discharge opening and outthrough a slot at the bottom of the chassis. The adhesive sheets fromthe two rolls come into contact with opposite sides of the filter as itcomes out of the chassis and cover the used filter portion, when saidused portion is drawn down to cover the discharge opening with a fresh,clean portion of filter. The withdrawn piece of filter being covered onboth sides may be withdrawn and severed and disposed of without dirtyingthe hands of the operator.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures AIR CONDITIONER WITH DISPOSABLE AIR FILTERThis invention relates to box type air conditioners for walls orwindows.

An object of this invention is to provide in an air conditioner of thecharacter described, a roll of filter sheeting located at the upper endof the discharge side of the air conditioner, which sheeting may bedrawn down to cover the air discharge opening, and means to cover bothsides of the filter as it is pulled down through a slot in the bottom ofthe air conditioner, whereby to permit removal of a used section offilter without dirtying the hands.

Another object of this invention is to provide in an air conditioner ofthe character described, two rolls of plastic sheets, on opposite sidesof the filter sheet, and located at the lower end of the air dischargeopening, with adhesive at the surfaces of the rolls facing oppositesurfaces of the filter sheet, to contact the filter sheet as it is drawndown through said slot, whereby to facilitate removal of used sectionsof filter sheeting, without dirtying the hands of the operator.

\ Yet another object of this invention is to provide an air conditionerof the character described in which a discharge baffle assembly isdetachably attached to the discharge side of the air conditioner box andcarries one of the two adhesive rolls, to facilitate mounting the filtersheet roll and the other of said two adhesive rolls in the box.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an air conditionerconstruction of the character described in which the last two sectionsof filter sheeting is of a color different from the color of the rest ofthe roll, as a warning that a new filter roll should be installed.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a strong, ruggedand durable air conditioner construction of the character describedwhich shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulateand assemble and service, which shall be clean and practical to a highdegree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrativeembodiments of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through an air conditioner embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged portion of the structure of FIG. 1, showing therolls of adhesive coated sheeting on opposite sides of a portion of thefilter sheet; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, designates an air conditionerembodying the invention. The air conditioner 10 is of the wall or windowtype here shown as being mounted on a wall 11. The air conditionercomprises a box 12 having a horizontal top wall 13, a horizontal bottomwall 14 and vertical side walls 15. Top and bottom adaptors 17, 18respectively, fixed to the top and bottom walls 13, 14, respectively ofthe box, engage the wall 1 1. The box passes through opening 11a in wall11 and spacers 19,20, may be interposed between the box 12 and the wall11. A rear cover 25 covers the rear end of the box which is at theoutside of wall 11. The box 11 and the apparatus 26 inside the box forcooling the air passing through the box from the outside of wall 11 tothe inside of the room, maybe of generally conventional construction andis well known. However a detachable baffle assembly 30 is detachablyattached to the inside end of the box 11 in the manner hereinafterexplained.

Said side walls 15 terminate in vertical edges 15a located rearwardly ofthe front edges 13a, 14a of the top and bottom walls 13, 14.

The assembly 30 comprises a front frame 30a comprising a vertical frontwall 31 provided with a rectangular cut-out or opening 32, forming sideinner edges 32a and top and bottom edges 32b. This cut-out 32 is forpassage of air from the box to the inside of the room to be airconditioned.

Extending rearwardly from the front wall 31 is a top flange 34frictionally contacting the top surface of top wall 13. A bottom flange34a extends rearwardly from front wall 31 and is located at theunderside of bottom wall 14. The front edges 13a, 14a of top and bottomwalls 13, 14 contact the inner surface of front wall 31.

Extending rearwardly from said front wall 31, are side flanges 35frictionally contacting the outer surfaces of side walls 15. Screws orother fasteners 36 may serve to fasten flange 34 to top wall 13. Screwsor other fasteners 37 may serve to fasten side flanges 35 to side walls15.

It will be noted that flanges 35 cover the spaces between edges 15a ofside walls 15 and the front wall 31. The top and bottom walls 13, 14have side extensions 40 at their front ends contacting the innersurfaces of flanges 35, in front of edges 15a.

Mounted on and between side flanges 35 are a series of louvres orhorizontal baffles 41 which may have usual means to adjust their angles.

Said bottom wall 14 is formed, just forwardly of the front edges 15a ofside walls 15, with a transverse slot 45.

Mounted on and between side flanges 35, and below the lowermost baffleor louvre 41, is a horizontal shaft 46 on which is removably mounted aroll 48 of plastic or other flexible sheeting 49 carrying at its outerside, a layer 50 of pressure sensitive adhesive. The sheeting 49 passesdown from roll 48 through slot 45 Mounted in any suitable manner on andbetween side walls 15, just below top wall 13 and close to edges 15a isa roll 60 of filter flexible sheeting or paper 61 which may pass downbehind the baffles 41 and through slot 45. The filter hence covers thecut-out or opening 32 in front wall 31 and is located close to thebaffles. The adhesive layer 50 on web or sheet 49 contacts the frontface of the filter sheet when the filter sheet and the layer 50 cometogether, thus causing sheet 49 to stick to and cover the front face ofthe portion of filter sheet 61 that passes down through slot 45.

Rotatably mounted on and between side walls 15 at the level of roll 48is a second similar symmetrically disposed roll 65 of plastic or otherflexible sheeting 66 coated at its outer side by a layer 67 of pressuresensitive adhesive which contacts the rear side of filter sheet 61, assaid filter sheet passes between rolls 48, 65, to stick to and cover therear side of said filter sheet.

It will now be understood that after a given period of use, the section;or hortion of the filter sheet 61 covering the opening 32 will becomedirty and lose its usefulness as a filter. At that time the filter sheetwith the sheetings from rolls 48,65 stick to opposite sides thereof, canbe pulled down to expose a fresh clean portion of the filter sheet incovering relation relative to said opening 32. The pulled down portionsof sheets of rolls '60, 48 and 65 may then be severed or cut offsomewhat below bottom wall 14, leaving enough of said sheets to begrasped by an operator to allow pulling down of said sheets again. Thewidth of slot 45 from front to rear is just sufficient to allow pullingthe Sheets down but small enough to press said sheets together to causethe sheets 49 and 66 to adhere to the center filter sheet 61.

Since the dirty or dust laden used portion of the filter sheet iscovered wholly on opposite surfaces by the sheets 49, 66, handling ofthe used portion of the filter sheet to be cut away and disposed of, isa clean operation, and the hands of the operator may remain clean.

It will be noted that when the baffle assembly 30 is removed, thebaffles 41 and the roll 48 come out with it, to facilitate installationor replacement of filter roll 60 and of adhesive roll 65.

The last two sections of filter in roll 60 may be of a color differentfrom the color of the rest of said roll to give warning to provide a newreplacement for said roll.

it will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adaptedto meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be un derstood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative.

I claim:

1. An air conditioner comprising a box having an air outlet opening, aroll of filter sheeting, means to mount said roll on the box at one endof the outlet opening in such position that the filter sheeting can bepulled to cover said air outlet opening, a pair of rolls of flexiblesheeting, and means to mount said pair of rolls at the opposite end ofsaid air outlet opening and on both sides of the portion of filtersheeting pulled from said roll of filter sheeting, saidpair of rollscarrying adhesive on faces thereof to contact opposite surfaces of saidpulled filter sheeting.

2. The combination of claim I, said box having a transverse slot throughwhich said filter sheeting and the sheeting from said pair of rolls maypass. I I

3. The combination of claim 1, said box comprising a detachabledischarge baffle assembly, provided with said air outlet opening, aseries of baffles mounted on said assembly, one of said pair of rollsbeing mounted on said assembly.

4. The combination of claim 1, said box comprising a top wall, a bottomwall, and side walls, and a detachable discharge baffle assemblyprovided with said air outlet opening, a series of baffles mounted onsaid as sembly, one of said pair of rolls being mounted on saidassembly, said roll of filter sheeting and said other of said pair ofrolls being mounted on said side walls.

5. The combination of claun 4, said bottom wall being formed with atransverse slot through which said filter sheeting from said roll offilter sheeting and sheeting from said pair of rolls, may pass, withsaid sheeting from said pair of rolls adhered to said filter sheet.

6. The combination of claim 5, the end portion of the filter sheeting ofsaid roll of filter sheeting being of a color different from the colorof the rest of said sheeting to give warning when said roll of filtersheeting should be replaced by a fresh roll.

7. An air conditioner comprising an air conditioner box having an airdischarge opening, a roll of filter sheeting, means to mount said rolladjacent one end of said opening, said sheeting being adapted to bepulled to cover said air discharge opening and beyond said opening, andmeans to cover one or both surfaces of portions of said filter sheetingthat are pulled beyond said opening to permit removal of said portionsof said filter sheeting, without dirtying the hands of the personremoving said portion.

8. The combination of claim 7, said covering means comprisingapplication of adhesive coated sheeting to said one or both surfaces ofsaid portions of said filter sheeting.

9. The combination of claim 8, a minor end portion of said roll offilter sheeting carrying means to warn that said roll should bereplaced.

10. The combination of claim 8, said box having means to press saidadhesive coated sheeting to said filter sheeting.

1. An air conditioner comprising a box having an air outlet opening, aroll of filter sheeting, means to mount said roll on the box at one endof the outlet opening in such position that the filter sheeting can bepulled to cover said air outlet opening, a pair of rolls of flexiblesheeting, and means to mount said pair of rolls at the opposite end ofsaid air outlet opening and on both sides of the portion of filtersheeting pulled from said roll of filter sheeting, said pair of rollscarrying adhesive on faces thereof to contact opposite surfaces of saidpulled filter sheeting.
 2. The combination of claim 1, said box having atransverse slot through which said filter sheeting and the sheeting fromsaid pair of rolls may pass.
 3. The combination of claim 1, said boxcomprising a detachable discharge baffle assembly, provided with saidair outlet opening, a series of baffles mounted on said assembly, one ofsaid pair of rolls being mounted on said assembly.
 4. The combination ofclaim 1, said box comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls,and a detachable discharge baffle assembly provided with said air outletopening, a series of baffles mounted on said assembly, one of said pairof rolls being mounted on said assembly, said roll of filter sheetingand said other of said pair of rolls being mounted on said side walls.5. The combination of claim 4, said bottom wall being formed with atransverse slot through which said filter sheeting from said roll offilter sheeting and sheeting from said pair of rolls, may pass, withsaid sheeting from said pair of rolls adhered to said filter sheet. 6.The combination of claim 5, the end portion of the filter sheeting ofsaid roll of filter sheeting being of a color different from the colorof the rest of said sheeting to give warning when said roll of filtersheeting should be replaced by a fresh roll.
 7. An air conditionercomprising an air conditioner box having an air discharge opening, aroll of filter sheeting, means to mount said roll adjacent one end ofsaid opening, said sheeting being adapted to be pulled to cover said airdischarge openiNg and beyond said opening, and means to cover one orboth surfaces of portions of said filter sheeting that are pulled beyondsaid opening to permit removal of said portions of said filter sheeting,without dirtying the hands of the person removing said portion.
 8. Thecombination of claim 7, said covering means comprising application ofadhesive coated sheeting to said one or both surfaces of said portionsof said filter sheeting.
 9. The combination of claim 8, a minor endportion of said roll of filter sheeting carrying means to warn that saidroll should be replaced.
 10. The combination of claim 8, said box havingmeans to press said adhesive coated sheeting to said filter sheeting.